Tire surface or covering.



P. C. HEWITT. TIRE SURFACE 0R GOVERING. APPLICATION FILED AUG.26,1905.

Patented Dec..8

PETER COOPER HEWITT, OF- NEW YORK, N. Y.

TIRE SURFACE 0R4 COVER'ING;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908;

Application and Augpazs, 1905. serial No. 275,934.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, PETER COOPER HEW- ITT, a citizen of the United States, and aresi.- dent of New York city, in the county-ot New York and. State of New York, have invented certain new and useful4 Improvements in-,Tire Surfacesor Coverings, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to surfaces or coverings for tires of vehicles particularly such as are employed on motor vehicles and automobiles. It is particularly adapted for-rubber tires and is especially intended for pneumatic rubber tires..

The object of the invention is to prevent circumferential llost motion or slip and also lateral lost motion-'or skidding'.

Another object is to save wear and tear and puncture of the tirey particularly the expensiven and vulnerable. rubber and pneumatic tires commonly employed on automobiles, bicycles, etc. Another object of my invention has been toproduce a device efficient forthese purposes at a cost so low compared with the cost of the usual pneumatic rubber tires that its use in connection therewith. will result in great saving in total'cost of maintenance of this part of the vehicle.

-Another object of my invention is to so construct the device that while serving its purpose, it will not be likely to chafe or Wear the tire, or to bebroken or disarranged in such manner that' displaced or' broken parts thereof will cause destructive punctures or cuts. To this. end, l have devised and constructed a chain link fabric which is preferably structurally independent something of the nature and obj ectsof my in-l vention, lwill now describe the ame ore in detail in connection with the drawingsnforming part of this application 'Wherein,-`

Figure l is a plan AView of a section of chain. link tire covering, of a width sufficient for a as to show only a small portion of thecircumference or peripheral extent thereofr;

Fig. 2 isa detailfview on a larger scale and partly in section, ,showing a. portionof the chain fabric with cert-ain; circularand trienigular rivets which may be employedtocover. and protect the interstices betweenlinks; Fig. 3 is a dotailsection ontheline 3, 3; of Fig. 2 showing a circular rivet in place., Fig'.- 4 is a detail-view showin part of a `wheel and tire with a covering app ied thereto.

In the practice of my invention, any suitable or desired arrangement of chain link fabric or strips. thereof may be employed, but I prefer a, triangular hexagonali arrangement of; closely set, plane or untwisted links, because it possesses Lmany' advantages, amongwhich may be noted close interlink.-

age and. interdependence of movement, free distribution: and direct transmission, of'strain along three sets of closely spaced parallel lines of chain crossing each other at angles of 60. The-.fabric mesh may, however, be rectangular ror other desired arrangement and the linksmay be of any suitable known or desired construction.

I prefer to determine the' circumferential extent of the fabric-along the tread in the direct line of one of these sets Yof parallel4 chains so. that the fabric will be practically inexpansible and of 'fixed diameter under the stresses of ination'of the tire and distortion thereof under load. In the triangular arrangement this leaves the other two sets of parallel chains extending, not directly across the tread as they would if the -mesh were rectangular, but at an angle of 30 to such transversel direction, and 60 from, the circumferential direction of the tread. By this arrangement, strains arising from the application of power to the wheels, either-for driving' or braking of the vehicle, takeelfect upon the links in contact with the ground at acute angles and not at right angles so that the strain-is applied obliquely in. a direction in which the' effective strength is greater. The three setsof lines. of links, normally perpendicular to the surface of the tire, act as .rigid lugs yieldingly held. The sets in line with the tread tend to prcvcnt lateral slipping. The sets crossing the tread oblique y tend to prevent circumlcrentiallip and because of the oblique arrangement tend to free themselves of mud, stones, etc. "In this arrangement, the horizontally dieposed links l the tire.

maybe made practically tangent to each other and thus more effectively cover and protect Furthermore, the laterally projecting triangular portions or points, 1 1, 1 1, which serve to distribute the transverse strains, work out at 60 angles instead of 120 angles, which would result if the tread ran the other way of the chain fabricand instead of the 90 angle, which would result if the mesh were quadrilateral or rectangular.

Freni the above illustrative explanation it will be obvious that the referred arrangement shown works out we for all stresses.

Where the fabric is skeletonized or cut away, for instance as indicated by the dotted line shownvat the bottom of Fig. 1, so th at the parallel chains take the fornof obliquely extending bands, each band as a whole forms a projection above the surface of the tire to prevent slipping, skidding or sluing in much the same way as the individual links described above. Such bands may therefore be formed of any desired'link fabric having few or none of the links normal to the surface of the tire. When the fabric is skeletonized in this way, links forming the corres ending diamond shape spaces will of course e omitted in each of the regular recurring figures of the pattern. Thisl modification is of advantage in certain cases as to greatly decrease the total weight of the covering and although it decreases the protection afforded the tire it is nevertheless very efficient for preventing slipping, skidding and sluing.

The trian lar-hexagonal fabric 'may be skeletonized y omitting other key links and their connecting web links and the location of the spaces left by such omitted links may be distributed through the pattern of the fabric in a multi licity of ways and patterns which will be obvious. When patterns of mesh other than the triangular-hexagonal mesh are used the fabric may be similarly skeletonized by omitting links in ways which will be obvious.

In the preferred triangular-hexa onal arrangement the covering is compose of links 1,v lying in the lane of the fabric, and of the radially exten ing links 2, 12 preferably 1ying in planes perpendicular thereto. For convenience, these may be termed respectively key links 1, 1 and radial or web links 2, 12. These terms are used for purposes of identification and they are intended to cover many other link patterns, besidesthe'hexagonal patterns.

In order to protect -the tire, the key links.

may be made to cover the maximum surface by arran ing them as tangential circles with a slight c earance. For similar reasons, the internal diameter or opening of the key links 1 is preferably three times the diameter of' the Wire or other material of which the radial or web links 2, 12 are formed, with a small amount added to prevent binding or locking of the links 2, 12. The latter, centering in a group of six within each key link l, form an approximately hexagonal inscribed figure which as against any thrust would have the effect of an arch creating undesirable friction and stresses unless such clearance were provided. Also, the links 2, 12 for similar reasons are formed with an internal diameter equal to two diameters of the wire or material out of which the links 1 are formed, a small additional allowance being made in this case also for clearance. The links 1 are preferably circular whereas the links 2, 12 may be circular or they may be given a flattened or elongated form wherein the smaller internal diameter is only a little overa single diameter of the material out of which the links are formed. the diameter of one set of links is preferably determined by the diameter of the material out of which the other set of links is formed and preferably the diameter of the material is the same in both. It is evident, however, that in some instances it may be found referable to form the key links 1 of material of which can be communicated to one of these It will thus be seen that links by the six radial links acting thereon blage or may be hardened without welding.

Where not welded, the split is preferably on the inner side next the tire. Such a split is preferably at a right angle directly across the wire or other material of which the link is formed since any pronounced bevel to form a lap joint or split would require acute points 1 or ed es more easil displaced or broken and there ore more li ely` to injure the tire. When not Welded the s lits may be slightly indented or bent inwar as shown in dotted lines at 22 in Fig. 3. When this expedient is em loyed care should be taken not to clam o r ind the links 1, 1 encircled by the hen( s and for this reason the ends of the wire blank may be slightly bent at one or both ends before being bent to encircle the linksl, 1. p

The fewest possible split links necessary for assemblage ofthe fabric,are attained when the links 1,1 are split and links 2,12 are solid, but as the strain op these links 1,1 isgenerally greater than on links2, 12 and as the centering of six links in links 1, 1 renders.

welding thereof difficult there are" advantages in makin 'the latterlsolid and putting dthe splits in links 2, 12.

If the links 2, 12 are not Welded they will be weaker but'where all links are formed from the same diameter 'Wire this really tends to uniformity of resistance to stress because links 2, 12 being unwelded are something like half as strong as welded links 1, 1 made of the same size Wire and they only need to be about half as strong because the average stressfthereon should be only about half .as much.y f

For various reasons I prefer to form the links from cheap'soft iron either punched from a sheet or built up from lengths of wire of the ydesired diameter, or part of them may beI punched and part formed? from wire.

Aften being properly formed and sized to distribute. strains `and provide proper clear ance. oiy Contactin surfaces, the wholefabric .may then be case hardened and .the links thus rendered rigid and durable.A

Preferably the narrowest portion of the kchain fabric shouldbe of the width of the thread or say third to a half of the transverse circumference of the tire though it may be either greater or less .than this.

. If desired the points at 1.1 need not be worked .out in a perfect saw tooth pattern l but there may be suitable spaces between the bases of the triangular'lateral projections, such for instance4 as would exist where the links 21 shown irr dotted lines are added for purposes of increasing the minimum width oft e fabric.

`r-While the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 is adapted fora comparatively small tire, the `'fabric may bev worked out along the same l"lines to increase either the width of the tread portion, or the length and circumferential' distribution of the laterally extending trian.- gular points.

Any suitable means other than the points 11- may be used for securing thefabric in position though the latter arrangement is desirable as strains due to iniia'tion of the tire are balanced and well distributed about the` circumference instead. of being largely concentrated in the transverse line or plane of the securing or fasteningmeans.

In order to improve the function ofthe -ffabric as a protector and .armor l.' may iill in 5o a of the links' 1 with circular rivets 5, having the-uncovered circles or spaces at the center shanks 15, the head 5 being preferably of greater diameter than the upset portion 25. The latter should be arranged and formed so as not to injure or wear the rubber tire.

The triangular spaces between each contiguous or tangentially arranged set of three links 1 may be filled in by similar rivets adapted to tit the space. t ln this instance the head 6 will be preferably triangular to fit the space between links 2, 12 and the shank 16 may be triangular but in the other direction so as to fit the space between ,links1, 1.

y'The final sizing of the complete tire coverl surface of sions having been of course previously made as nearly exact as possible.

Theabovemeth'od may also be employed to impart a certain amount of crowning to f the coverino' so that it ma #conform to the' l the tire especia y if all of4 the raf I dial or web links 2, 12 are first given an sipproximately circular form, Such arrangement 'permits of unequally flattening and thus lengthening lines of links near the cenof alllinks in the same chain line 'around the tread parallel to the planeet the wheel being thesamefand the lines of links nearest the `center line being iiattened the most. 'such operation tne Whes'l diameters at the center of'the tread portion'of the web may be 'increased the required.,amountl by the iiat tenin Iand 'the resulting elongation of the individual links. links at the edge remaining uniiattened-*or attened in a'less de4` gree, the parallel lines or. circles around the wheel at the center of lthe tread Will be greater by y the required?! amount. Such crowning may also be eil'ected inthe original construction of the .fabric either' by using smaller diameters of wire as the-materialfor construction and clearance exac'tlysimilar, only on a smaller scale commensuritewth the decrease-of diameter of wire used, lora similar result may be brought about by merely -increasing the clearance at' the center of the tread by increasing the interior diameameters of the radial orweb iinks 2, 12.

By carrying either encor/fall of the above expedients to the extreme,'the' fabric may be Worked out in the form ofanearly or quite complete endless tube splitireuniferentialiy around the inside.

-Where the minimum width of the vfabric is small, compared tel the *size of the tire so that onlyy a comparatively iiat zone at the tread is completely covered, the above -expedients for crowning o r varying the diameter ofthe covering may be omitted the l'cut extensjonsfll zwill.sufliciently provide for tire when niiated Will practicallyl obyiate puckering or fullness of .the fabric atLj-'said smaller zones while the, circu-mferentialhoop or chain will fix such smaller diameter. *fi* Where ythe filling rivets 5, 6 are'nsed are '-must be ,taken in fixin ,them in place to `insure such looseness of it as may be necessary to prevent binding, as the latter would result in unnecessary Wear' and tear and in comparative inilexibiltyof the fabric. 'Rather more Vf'slearance will be necessary away 4'spaces between the triangular vlateral ter line' of the tread, the amount of flattening By.l

the links and maintaining the proportion,

'loo

ters of key links 1 or increasing th'e long di'- the zones of markedly smaller.'diam'e'tfeifand l this in connection 1with the elasticityof then l2() links.

.for rivets 6 than rivets 5 because the movements of the v`portions of links- 1 contacting therewith are not exactly on arcs of the surface of the cylindrical wire of which they are preferably composed whereas movements of the links 2, 12 are normally along curvatures of their surfaces.

The protected area afforded by therivets r filling pieges referred to, may be formed by fins or V-shaped ribs formed on the For instance the key links may be made more or less hexagonal in lan as shown at 31, Fig. 2. Similar latera fins or projections from radial or web links 2, 12 as shown in dotted lines at 2, 12n Fig. 2 might serve the same purpose. In both cases ample clearance should be provided between adjacent portions of the fins' or projections and edges and points of the latter should be rounded off.

Where rivets are'used the contour of adjacent portions of the surface of the links may be modified or molded to fit the latter. The links 2, l2 may be made V-shaped in cross sectional outline to fill more completely the key links as shown at 32, Fig. 3.

It will be obvious from Fig. 4 that the preferred manner of securing the fabric in position is to secure the links 11, 11 around the tire 48 and felly 49 while the tire is deflated, as by a circumferential steel hoop 50 adjusted to proper diameter by turnbulckle 51 and by securing opposite links 11, 11 to each other or to the same spoke 52 or to a" suitable stud or studs 53 inserted in the felly on the back side thereof by suitable ties 54 extending around the saine. Une or all of these means may he used.

As has been explained the surface or covering which l use, especially where employed on 'neulnatic or similar tires, is

supplementa to the rubber surface and except where intended to serve as tire armor, need not necessarily cover more than a fraction of the surface, eonsiderablespaces being left open. It will therefore be evident that the terms surface and covering as used herein are generic and cover all forms described.

,l claim:

' 1,. A tire covering of chain fabric comprising closely adjacent hexagonally arranged links parallel with the surface of the fabric and other links arranged to be held perpendicular tl'lc'reto.

2. A tire covering of chain fabric compris-l ing hexagonally arranged links parallel with the surface oll the fabric and connecting links perpendicular thereto and inierlinked therewith, six of the latter with each of the former, said links being so formed as to be normally lnaintainedin their said relative positions, when secured to the tire.

3. A tire covering having a tread portion consisting of links arranged to form three seas?? ferentially around'the'tread vof the tire and two of said sets crossing the tread at equal opposite angles.

4. A tire covering of chain fabric consisting solely of linlm substantially parallel with the tire surface interlinked wlth other links normally 'substantially jerpendicular thereto, said chains arrange to have regular angularly disposed intersecting lines of direct chain connection and triangular laterallyextending ortions of the fabric worked out or formed @dong such intersecting lines, to form ppints at approximately-a sixty degree ang e.

5. A tire' coverin comprising chain fabric consisting solely of inks substantially parallel with the tirel surface interlinked with other links normally substantially per endicular there'to, said chains arranged to ave regular equiangularly disposed intersecting lines of direct chain connection and triangular laterally extending securing points,

formed of chains following lines of the attern of the fabric and meeting at an ang e of approximately sixty degrees.

6. A tire covering comprising chain fabric arranged to have sets of parallel lines of`direct chain connection, one set of said lines extending circumferentially around the tread of the tire together with triangular oppositely disposed laterally extending portionsof said fabric.

7. A tire coveringpf chain fabric consisting solely of links substantiall parallel with the tire surface interlinked with other links normally substantially'perpendicular thereto, said chains arranged to have regular angularly disposed intersecting lines-of direct chai'n connection and triangular laterally extending portions of the fabric along opposite edges of the body ortions and worked out or formed along sai intersecting lines, at angles of approximately sixty degrees.

8. A tire covering of metallic fabric consisting solely of links substantially arallel with the tire surface interlinked wit other links normally substantially perpendicular thereto, said chains comprising a bod portion and oppositely arranged, lateraly'extending triangular portions for securing .the same and for distributing stress along the sides thereof. y

9. A tire covering of chain fabric comprisving closely adjacent links parallel with the surface of the fabric and, interlinked therewith, other links flattened on the side'adjacent the tire seas to be held normally substantially perpendicular' to said surface.

l0. A tire covering of chain fabric structurally indepeiulent of the tire and consisting of closely adjacent links parallel with the surfaceof the fabric andainterlinked therewith, flattened links substantially perpendicular to 55 id'cent links interlinked with said solid key said surface and having an 'internal minim'um diameter approximately equal to the tire surface, disposed in a and' interlinked with other re ular lpattern lins fittiii the thickness of the'mat'erial of said key lin so scribed.

as to be normally maintained in a position approximately'perpendicular to the tire surface.

12. A tire coverI of chain fabric consisting 4of circular. or polygonal key links and flattened web having an internal transverse dimension approximately e ual to the diameter 'of the'material of the ey links, whereby said key links are maintained a proximat'ely parallel with the surface offtlie tire and said web links approximately vperpendicular thereto.

' 1,3. A tire covering of chain fabric, consisting of key links arranged in a hexagonal pattern and iiattened web links connecting said key links, said web links having an internal transverse dimension approximately equal tQthediameter -of the material of the key links whereby said links are maintained a proximately parallel with the surface of tlie tire and said web links approximately perpendicular thereto. v

v14. A tire cover ofl hain fabric consisting -of circular oirnlpglygonal key links and flattened web l having an yinterna-l transverse dimension approximately e ual to the diameter of the material of the ey links, whereby said key links are maintained .alpproximately parallel with the surface'of t e tire and said web links ap roximately perpendicu'lar thereto, lsaid l inks being case l ardened to\ prevent deformation.

15. A tire covering of chain fabric,v ,Consisting of key links arraned in a hexagonal pattern and flattened we links connecting said key links, said web links having an internal transversedimension approximately equal to the diameter of the material ofthe key links whereby said links are maintained a proximately parallel with the surface of t e tire and said web links a proximately.A

erpendicular thereto, said l being case iiardened to vprevent deformation." v

16. A tire covering comprising angularly iitersecting lines of chain formedof solid key links at the points of-intersection, the

being split link, for .the purpose de- 17. A tire covering comprising solid key ,links and flattened web links split on the side next thetire and'havin portions adjal'cent the split inturned .or in ented.

18. A tire coverin of chain fabric compris ing ke links and we links the internal diameter o the key links being such that the web links substantially iill anA annulus of Width equal to the diameter of thematerialof the to the diameter of the material of the latter, the maximum ,diameter ofthe web linksv -being slightly more than twice the diameter of the material of the ke links.

v 21. A tire covering o chain fabric comprisi'ng hexagonallyv arranged key links and web'lmks, the internal diameter of the4 key" links being sli htly more than threetimes the diameter o the materialof the web links;

22. A tire covering of chain fabric com-vv prising hexagonally arranged key. linksV and web links the internal diameter ofthe Web links being slightly more than twice the diameter ofthe material of the lieylinks'.

23. A tire covering comrismg hexa onally arranged key linksan slightly more than three `times .the diameter of .the material of the web links andthe mainmum diameter of the web links being slightly more than twice the diameter of the key links.

24. A-tire covering comprising chain'fabf yl0() i ric and suitably shaped rivets Icovering the iterstices. A

25. A tire coveringl comprising chain fabric-and suitably shaped filling pieces inserted in the interstices.

26. A tire covering comprising bands of chainfabric, each band consisting of two or v more intersectin chains laterally intercom# nected, said-ban slof fabric being separated by open spaces and extending diagonally j I I '110 across the tread of thetire. j 27. Atire covering comprising bands lof chain fabric, each-,band consisting of two or weblinkst 'e internal diameter. of the key' links being more intersecting interlinked parallel lines of chain, said bands of fabric extending di agonally across the tread of the tire?.

28. A tire covering comprising'bands of chain fabric,` each band consisting of two or more interlinked parallel lines of chain, said bands of fabric extending diagonally across the tread of the tire and intersecting other similar bands at that portion of their length near where they cross the tread of the tire.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York, and State of- New York, this 23 day of August, A.'D. 1095.

'PETER COOPER HEWITT.

' Witnesses JOHN B. PERRY,

K. A. MORRIS. 

